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Society of Experimental Test Pilots

F

FlyingOnFumes

Nobel WAR Prize Aspirant
Anyone here make it to Downtown Disney last week?

This is what was covered:
http://www.setp.org/HTML/Symposia/LosAngeles/symposium%20program.htm

No Hornet or Rhino presentations this year (unlike the back-to-back "Shocker" (err, excuse me: "Grizzly":rolleyes:) last year), but some E-2D love was shown.

Gene Cernan spoke on Thursday & Col. Pam Melroy gave an in-depth analysis of Columbia's breakup... talk about OCF (outta control flight) in all axes.... Both USAF & USN TPS classes represented, turning mandatory fun into real fun :D on Wed night.

Some of the original test pilots for YF-16, YF-17, and F/A-18 were on hand.

Burt Rutan & Scaled Composites looks like they plan on out doing themselves again...

Current fleet (former test) guys even made the trip down from Lemoore for some Hospitality suite action Friday night.

Also learned that the Brits are nuts.... they are developing a technique for Roll-on-landings (short field) in the Harrier for use with the STOVL F-35B JSF instead of hovering to land on carrier decks.
 
HeyJoe

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
FlyingOnFumes said:
Also learned that the Brits are nuts.... they are developing a technique for Roll-on-landings (short field) in the Harrier for use with the STOVL F-35B JSF instead of hovering to land on carrier decks.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be so quick to judge...Every pound of fuel is precious (except when you are on fire) so why not see what they come up with first? Note:
the Brits brought us angled decks, armored flightdecks, steam catapults, the Harrier...the list goes on and on. They also use ski jumps that have been adopted elsewhere, but we have ignored.
 
F

FlyingOnFumes

Nobel WAR Prize Aspirant
heyjoe said:
I wouldn't be so quick to judge...Every pound of fuel is precious (except when you are on fire) so why not see what they come up with first? Note:
the Brits brought us angled decks, armored flightdecks, steam catapults, the Harrier...the list goes on and on. They also use ski jumps that have been adopted elsewhere, but we have ignored.
Click to expand...

I am no one to judge, but it did seem a little "ballsy" to rely on forward thrust vectoring and wheel brakes alone (vs. a tailhook & arresting gear or hover landing) to stop your forward momentum on a pitching carrier deck or LHA / LHD.

Aren't catapults a bit safer than ski jumps since they hold the aircraft on a fixed track down the deck?
 
BusyBee604

BusyBee604

St. Francis/Hugh Hefner Combo!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Yes

FlyingOnFumes said:
Aren't catapults a bit safer than ski jumps since they hold the aircraft on a fixed track down the deck?
Click to expand...
Catapults ARE safer in that you will have flying speed at the bow, even if you have an engine problem/failure on the cat stroke. More time to eject.:angel_125

Note: You can also credit the Brits contribution of "Hurricane Bow" & Visual Landing Aids (mirror/lens).
BzB
 
M

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
Somewhere in all the pre-FCLP/CQ briefs, this point stuck in my head...

"When the cat fires, you ARE going flying. It's up to you to ensure you stay there, and your tires come with you"
 
RedFive

RedFive

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
Contributor
After getting through flight school, what are the options/paths for somebody with an engineering degree to goto/apply to TPS? I read a while back about a program that sends you to NPS for a masters in systems engineering, followed by TPS? Is that still around?
 
F

FlyingOnFumes

Nobel WAR Prize Aspirant
RedFive said:
After getting through flight school, what are the options/paths for somebody with an engineering degree to goto/apply to TPS? I read a while back about a program that sends you to NPS for a masters in systems engineering, followed by TPS? Is that still around?
Click to expand...

Well... believe it or not, looks like U.S. Naval Test Pilot School doesn't even require an engineering degree. In the current TPS class, I met 2 Marines, one was Economics major Cobra pilot (who said he went to TPS because "they needed a Cobra guy there" [to test the AH-1Z Viper @ HX-21]) and a Harrier dude who was a History major.... granted both were from the Academy and had B.S. degrees and had taken the Calculus, Physics, etc... But it was welcome news that all you need is just pre-req coursework without the actual technical degree.

The other thing I learned is, they mandatorily send you back to the fleet after your follow-on test tour (I guess to ensure that people don't come to TPS to avoid fleet duty or something to that effect). If you want to do more test, they said you have to come back after returning to the fleet.

The guys I spoke to there seemed like the window to start applying was after their 1st flying tour. Said Marines mentioned above said that it counted as their "B" billet and aren't expecting to be doing FAC tours.

This is just 2nd hand info, so take it with a grain of salt.
 
Beans

Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
RedFive said:
After getting through flight school, what are the options/paths for somebody with an engineering degree to goto/apply to TPS? I read a while back about a program that sends you to NPS for a masters in systems engineering, followed by TPS? Is that still around?
Click to expand...

The program you're talking about is the NPS/AFIT Co-op program, I think. There's plenty of useful information on the Bupers website about it and about what one needs to do to get in to TPS, and slightly more information available if you log in to the website.
 
RedFive

RedFive

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
Contributor
Beans said:
The program you're talking about is the NPS/AFIT Co-op program, I think. There's plenty of useful information on the Bupers website about it and about what one needs to do to get in to TPS, and slightly more information available if you log in to the website.
Click to expand...

Okay, thanks sir! That's what I was looking for.
 
Beans

Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
RedFive said:
Okay, thanks sir! That's what I was looking for.
Click to expand...

You're welcome, but, please don't "sir" me. A piece of me dies every time a fellow JO says it. Seriously - a hair follicle just up and quits right there.
 
RedFive

RedFive

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
Contributor
*shrug* reflex :rolleyes:

--edit--

Now where the heck is this thing in the Bupers menu? Ahh, confusing...
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
BusyBee604 said:
Catapults ARE safer in that you will have flying speed at the bow, even if you have an engine problem/failure on the cat stroke. More time to eject.:angel_125

Note: You can also credit the Brits contribution of "Hurricane Bow" & Visual Landing Aids (mirror/lens).
BzB
Click to expand...

Not if you get a soft shot. :eek:

Brett
 
F

FlyingOnFumes

Nobel WAR Prize Aspirant
RedFive said:
Okay, thanks sir! That's what I was looking for.
Click to expand...

My apologies for not answering your question properly earlier, I kinda zoned out on a tangent about the engineering degree.

Here is what Beans was probably referring to (everything (or almost) you need to know about applying to TPS):

www.npc.navy.mil/Boards/Administrative/TestPilot

as well as the Navy Test Pilot Programs brief (includes USAF & Empire TPS info): www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/E3466CF0-3799-401C-8D57-C7E63B1AA755/0/AEDO_TestPilotSchool.pdf
 
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